But You Didn't (A PJO One-Shot)
by dangkat5
Summary: This is a tragic one-shot centering around Nico who is struggling to cope with the death of his love and the after effects of the Giant War against Gaea. It is also inspired and based off of a poem called But You Didn't by Merrill Glass. Not the best summary, but I tried my best to pull on your heartstrings. Hope you enjoy! Rated T for Character Death


**A/N: So as the summary says, this one-shot is inspired and based off of Merrill Glass's poem, _But You Didn't._ Takes place after the Giant War.**

**Disclaimer:** **I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Nico, or the poem. The first two belong to Rick Riordan and the second, Merrill Glass. The cover art is also NOT mine.**

**NOTE: The He in **_italics_** is referring to Nico's crush and love. The words in bold and**_ italics_ **are the words from the poem, _But You Didn't. _Some parts aren't bolding correctly so I put each poem verse in quatation marks. Hope you don't mind.**

It was the only way, Nico knew. _He _was the only way to stop Gaea, to lull her back to sleep. _He _was the final lullaby that put her to sleep, and everyone was glad that she was sleeping once again. But that doesn't mean that he had to like it. No, not one bit. _He_ was the ultimate sacrifice in order to put an end to the war that caused everyone so much grief. But it was _his_ death that hurt Nico so much.

Nico gripped the tear stained paper tightly as he quietly sobbed unable to control himself. The green flames that lit his cabin flickered and swayed to Nico's torrent of emotion. Rage, depression, anguish, despair, utter grief… Nico felt all of those and more.

He closed his eyes, and flashes of the war that raged not a week ago flew past his eyes.

_Flashback start_

Before him, demigods and monsters fought brutally and gruesomely. This wasn't training anymore. It was life or death. Maimed and dead demigods were strewn across the battlefield; the gold dust of monsters filling the air. Nico looked forward to the eye of the battle and his heart clenched in fear and hurt. _There he was. _Battling Mother Earth herself. _He_ was a like a demon, dancing a graceful yet deadly dance; the bronze blade flashing in the light. Duel wielding Hade's sword and Poseidon's trident, _He_ plunged them into Gaea sealing her fate along with _His_. An explosion rocked the Earth and the Hero and Savior of Olympus was dead. Silence ensued and all of the monsters retreated, lost without their leader. The cheers of victory and cries of the lost of loved ones sounded in Nico's ears as he dropped his black sword with a ringing clang abandoning his Stygian Iron sword in favor to run towards the one person that was his world. As he arrived, the sounds of the world seemed to recede, his mind only focusing on one thing. His mind seemed to detach itself from reality, and his body went numb as he stared down at his love in disbelief, horror, and grief, not wanting to believe what laid before him. But the ringing in his ears confirmed his horrors and fears.

_Flashback End_

Nico once again sobbed into his hands. The warmth in his tears felt hot against his naturally cold skin. There had been only four people in his life that could make him feel this way and make him genuinely happy, and all of them were dead. His mom, Bianca, Hazel, and _Him_, those were the four.

Nico gave a cry of anguish as he hid away in his cabin, the shadows growing and shrinking, twisting and turning. Nico never told a soul, not even his crush himself, about his feelings, the _love_ he felt for the person who had been there for him when no one else was. The person who had kept him company and was there to listen to his problems, to always accept Nico back into his heart despite the betrayals Nico had done to both his love and their camp. How he was _such_ a fool. Too cowardly to confess his feelings and now it was too late.

Opening his eyes, he once again struggled through the writing of the letter he had struggled to write to give to his love along with a drachma for Charon's boat ride.

...

**_"Remember the time you lent me your car and I dented it?_**

**_I thought you'd kill me…_**

**_But you didn't."_**

Remember that time, dear? When I hated and resented you so much and blamed you for my sister's death? I knew you blamed yourself already and that I just made it worst. I gave you Hades about that.

I thought you would kill our relationship right then and there and stop caring for me.

But you didn't. If anything, you tried harder.

**_"Remember the time I forgot to tell you the dance was _****_formal, and you came in jeans?_**

**_I thought you'd hate me…_**

**_But you didn't."_**

Remember the time when I isolated myself and wouldn't let anyone worm their way into my heart? When I acted cold to everyone and hated the world?

I thought you would hate me, give up and abandon me.

But you didn't. If anything, you showed me more love and care.

_**"Remember the times I'd flirt with**_

_**other boys just to make you jealous, and**_

_**you were?**_

_**I thought you'd drop me…**  
_

_**But you didn't."**_

Remember that time when I would flirt with Jason just to make you jealous and you were?

I thought you would just drop me and leave me.

But love, you didn't. You just tried harder to strengthen our relationship.

**_"There were plenty of things you did to put up with me,_**

**_to keep me happy, to love me, and there are_**

**_so many things I wanted to tell_**

**_you when you returned from_**

**_Vietnam…_**

**_But you didn't."_**

So many times, love, you put up with me, despite all of my faults, despite everything I did to push you and the world away. Somehow, dear, you managed to work your way into my cold heart. You kept me happy, loved me, and love, you were there for me, supporting and comforting me. You gave me a shoulder to cry on, hugs that would cheer me up and make me feel loved, and most of all dear, you gave me the warmth that the children of Hades so often lacked. You warmed my heart and gave me life, a reason to live.

So many things I wanted to tell you when you returned from the Giant War. I wanted to confess my love to you, to tell you how much I appreciated everything you did despite how trivial it may have seen. You never gave up on me. So many things to tell you after you came back from the war.

But you didn't love. You're such a Seaweed Brain, Percy, because you never came back..."

**A/N: And that's it! I hope you liked it despite it's length and please vote if you liked it. Also, I'm thinking about writing a part continuing with another letter Nico sends Percy through some spirits in Elysium, Percy's reaction when he reads the letter in Elysium and/or Percy's letter he writes back to Nico. Comment if you think I should. Thanks for reading!**


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